- 31 - transfers under Section 2056 of the Internal Revenue Code". Cal. Probate Code sec. 21520(a) (West 1991). If an instrument contains a marital deduction gift, the California Probate Code provides a liberal construction to allow a marital deduction, as follows: (a) The provisions of the instrument, including any power, duty, or discre- tionary authority given to a fiduciary, shall be construed to comply with the marital deduction provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. (b) The fiduciary shall not take any action or have any power that impairs the deduction as applied to the marital deduction gift. [Cal. Probate Code sec. 21522(a) and (b) (West 1991).] These special rules do not apply unless there is sufficient evidence to find that the decedent intended the gift to qualify for the marital deduction. See Estate of Heim v. Commissioner, supra at 1329. In this case, as mentioned above, the language of the decedent's 1986 will gives Mrs. Rapp an interest in only so much of the income from the trust as is paid "for her proper health, education and support" in the absolute discretion of the cotrustees. This language is clear and unambiguous and cannot be construed to give Mrs. Rapp thePage: Previous 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Next
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